Retaining device for connecting a snorkel and a mask

Abstract

The present invention provides a retaining device for connecting a mask and a snorkel. The mask has a head strap and a positioning ring, and the head strap freely passes through the positioning ring. The retaining device comprises a male fastening element and a female fastening element, which is connected to the male fastening element. The male fastening element is connected to one of the positioning ring and the snorkel, and the female fastening element is connected to the other. The user may assemble or separate the mask and the snorkel with the retaining device of the present invention, and there wouldn't be relative linear displacement between the mask and the snorkel in use due to buoyancy and gravity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retaining device for connecting a snorkel and a mask, the mask including a head strap and a positioning ring, the head strap freely passing through the positioning ring, the retaining device comprising:
 a male fastening element; and   a female fastening element, being connected to the male fastening element;   wherein the male fastening element is connected to one of the positioning ring and the snorkel, and the female fastening element is connected to the other thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the positioning ring has a first insertion slot and a second insertion slot adjacent to it, the head strap has a close contact section and a tail section, the close contact section is close to a user's head and is tightly fitted into the first insertion slot, the tail section is away from the user's head and is tightly fitted into the second insertion slot. 
     
     
         3 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the female fastening element has a hole and a positioning layer, the hole is penetrated through the positioning layer, and when the female fastening element is connected to the positioning ring, the positioning layer is arranged from the second insertion slot along the direction away from the user's head. 
     
     
         4 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein when the female fastening element is connected to the positioning ring, the female fastening element and the positioning ring are integrally formed. 
     
     
         5 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the male fastening element has a head portion and a neck portion, and when the male fastening element is connected to the female fastening element, the head portion is located outside the hole, and the neck portion passes through the hole. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the hole has a fixing aperture, when a user wears the mask and contains a mouthpiece of the snorkel, and the male fastening element and the female fastening element are connected, a long side of the head portion is larger than the fixing aperture, and a diameter of the neck portion is smaller than the fixing aperture, so that the mask and the snorkel can be relatively rotated within an angle range of 10 degrees to 90 degrees, the angle range is defined by an angle between an axis of the snorkel and a longitudinal axis of the user's head. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the male fastening element and the female fastening element have a hardness between 60 Shore A and 90 Shore D. 
     
     
         8 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the male fastening element and the female fastening element are selected from material consisting of Thermo-Plastic Rubber (TPR), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polypropylene (PP), Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein one of the male fastening element and the female fastening element has a ring portion, and the ring portion at least partially surrounds the snorkel. 
     
     
         10 . The retaining device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein one of the male fastening element and the female fastening element is integrally formed with the snorkel. 
     
     
         11 . A retaining device for connecting a snorkel and a mask, the mask including a head strap and at least one positioning ring, the head strap passing through the positioning ring, the positioning ring being used to secure and to prevent the head strap from further moving after a user well wears the mask, the snorkel comprising a tube body, a mouthpiece, and a ring portion, and the mouthpiece and the ring portion being connected to the tube body, the retaining device comprising:
 a male fastening element; and   a female fastening element, being capable of coupling and decoupling from the male fastening element;   wherein the male fastening element is disposed on the ring portion, and the female fastening element is disposed on the positioning ring.   
     
     
         12 . A retaining device for connecting a snorkel and a mask, the mask including a head strap and at least one positioning ring, the head strap passing through the positioning ring, the positioning ring being used to secure and preventing the head strap from further moving after a user well wears the mask, the snorkel comprising a tube body, a mouthpiece, and a ring portion, and the mouthpiece and the ring portion being connected to the tube body, the retaining device comprising:
 a male fastening element; and   a female fastening element, being capable of coupling and decoupling from the male fastening element;   wherein the male fastening element is disposed on the positioning ring, and the female fastening element is disposed on the ring portion.